Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-10-14
ALVAN CLARK, ASTRONOMICAL
Bh8t Wa Owe 20 a Farmers Boy With
Few Advantages, But With the Artistic
New York Herald.

New York Herald.
By the death OF AIvsn Clark the coun-
try loses s. most remarkable man, known
throughout the scientific world as the
manufacturer of enormous telescopes,
famed not only for their size, but for
their extraordinary accuracy. His career
is one Of great interest. He wss born at
Ashfeld, Mass, in March, 1904 His
iathcr was farmer, and young
Avian worked in the fields while > boy,
and had very feW opportunities for
study. Very early IL life he showed that
he possessed the artistic instinct, and it
led hlr8 to devote much Of his spare time
to engraving and drawing. At twenty
two years OF age he obtained a situation
as calico printer in Lowell mill, work
ing at that business for nine years, when
he established himself as q portrait
painter in Boston. In 1927 he married
Miss Pease of Conway, Mass, lady to
whom he Yas warmly attached and who
survives him.
II was not until he was more than forty
years old thst he became Interested in
the study of optics and the construction
Of telescopes. To reporter of the Her
aid, in 1881, he thus told the story Of it's
inception: "My son, AlVsn G.. Clark,
was at Audover, studying to be en- en-
gineer. His young mind seemed to
be absorbed in telescopes. I was
portrait painter then, and I be-
gen to Istudy mechanics and astronomy
so as to instruct my boy. We expert
menteG together, and succeeded in max
ing arefectiDg telescope. One of the
Cambridge professors was much pleased
With come instruments we made, and
when We suggested to aim that we would
like to manufacture improved instruments
he gave US great encouragement, and re
went ahead.'
Mr. Clark and his two sons gave up
everything else, and in 1916 commenced
the manufacture of telescopes ct Cam
bridge, Mass. It was long time before
their perseverance and talent were ap-
prsCiated.
THE FIRST IMPORTANT RECOGNITION
came tom England. The R4y. w. R.
Dawes, celebrated for his measurement
OF double stars, learned that Mr.. Clark
was constructing instruments Of superior
purity and power, and ordered glass for
his own use, which was furnished in tEa
autumn OF 1858. The performances Of this
glass excited the admiration OF English
astronomers, and Mr.. Clark suddenly
found himself famous, and received Or
deTs from abroad for telescopes.
~ Orders began to come rapidly in also
from among his own countrymen, and 1t
may be said of him with truth that from
hat time he was looked upon SO one of
the few men living competent to supply
perfect object glass. In 1860 the Uni
yersity Of Mississippi ordered teIe-
scope Of Mr.. Clark with an aperture
OF eighteen inches, which was three
inches larger than any made at
that time. Before it was completed
the war broke out, and the contracting
party did not take it. 1t was afterHard
sold to the Astronomical Society OF
Chicago, and was mounted in 1863. 1t
vas with this instrument that AIvan G,
Clark, Mr.. CIark's son, in 1862 discovered
the companion OF Sirius, receiving the
award OF the Lelande medal from the
French Academy OF Science. He was
given 500 in gold, however, preferring
that sum TO the medal.
During the war the Clarksg were kept
busy manufacturing field glasses for use
in the federal army At the time the Amer
lean observing psrty went west 20 view
the transit OF Venus the Clarks were
called upon to supply heltostat to be
used in photographing the transit. This
they did by executing piece of work
which has never been surpassed, and
which was marvellous in its percision. 49,
The first telescopes made by the CisTks
were six inches in aperture and of excel
lent definition. The firm confined item
selves exclusively to the manufacture Of
refracting telescopes, and wi hous Iosing
in precision they successfully made 800
ject glasses Of 81, 81, II, 155, Is, % and
26 inches. -
The telescope for which they receinSa
the most credit is that st the naval obj
servetory at Washington, owned ~ sa4
government. In 1870 CongresspSssed q
bill authorizing that contract be made
with the Clarks for q refractins telescope
be \ 81
THE LARGEST IN ExIsTENeE3.us
The size was placed at twenty six Inches
aperture, and work was commenced upon
| it in January, 1871. The forms chosen